Category Archives: Society

Trust Not in Ideologies

Posted on February 9, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

“Put not your trust in princes,” advises the Bible. I would add “put not your trust in ideologies.” Ideologies don’t make decisions. People make decisions, for good or for ill. Every way to organize society has advantages and disadvantages. If … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Life, Political Science, Society | Tagged Anarcho-Capitalism, Capitalism, Common ownership, Economics, Georgism, Henry George, Ideologies, Ideology, Libertarianism, Luck, Social organization, Socialism, Socialist Calculation Problem | 1 Comment

A High School Psychology Experiment

Posted on February 6, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

I’ve criticized people for not getting their minds out of high school, and I stand by that criticism. Even when it applies to me. On the other hand, high school is the first time we learn certain lessons about life. … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Human Relations, Judaism, Psychology, Society | Tagged Building bridges, Defusing hostility, Do unto others, Friendship, Psalm 15, Reflection, Soft answer | Leave a comment

Help Wanted: Wise Leaders

Posted on February 5, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

I won’t be watching the State of the Union address on television tonight. It’s nothing against Trump, who will tell us about all the YUUUUGE things he’s accomplished. Nor against Pelosi, who will be sitting there stone-faced with her minions. … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Relations, Political Science, Psychology, Society | Tagged Cooperation, Debate, Jimmy Carter, Pelosi, Politics of personal destruction, Ronald Reagan, Social Conflict, Social harmony, SOTU, State of the Union, Trump | Leave a comment

The Bad Side of In-Groups

Posted on February 3, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

You’re in the bedchamber of the dying King Henry IV (1366-1413), who united England through a bitter civil war. King Henry awakens and gives some final advice to his son, Prince Harry: “God knows, my son, By what by-paths and … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Relations, Political Science, Psychology, Society | Tagged Game theory, In-Group, International Relations, Nonzero sum games, Out-Group, Practical politics, Shakespeare, WarGames | Leave a comment

Thought Experiments for Left and Right

Posted on January 31, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

Whether your politics lean left or right, a couple of thought experiments can help you understand people who lean the other way. History’s most famous thought experiment inspired Albert Einstein‘s theory of special relativity. In 1895, aged only 16, Einstein … Continue reading →

Posted in Epistemology, Human Relations, Political Science, Psychology, Society | Tagged Einstein, Gedankenexperiment, Neuroscience, Novelty Seeking, Social Change, Social stability, Thought Experiment | 2 Comments

Can You Feel the Love?

Posted on January 30, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

Can you feel the love? It’s kind of a cliché, sometimes said as a joke. But it points to a real problem. For any society to survive, its people need to cooperate. That requires at least a minimum level of … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Relations, Life, Political Science, Psychology, Society | Tagged Diversity, Empathy, Homogeneous societies, Kipling, love, Mutual understanding, Social Conflict, Social harmony, The Stranger, Tolerance | Leave a comment

Whose Welfare Counts, and How Much?

Posted on January 27, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

This blog post isn’t about what you’ll at first think it’s about. So bear with me. The United Kingdom’s National Trust was established in 1895 to showcase and protect Britain’s national heritage. Among other things, it gives tours of historic … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Relations, Philosophy, Political Science, Society | Tagged Britain, Entertainment Media, Gays, History, Minoritarianism, Minority rights, National Trust, News Media, Special interest groups, Utilitarianism | 2 Comments

Coping with Clickbait

Posted on January 24, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

Call me naïve (“You’re naïve!” “Thank you.”), but I believe that most people want to be good. That doesn’t mean that all people want to be good, or that most people are good all the time. Obviously, they’re not. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Relations, Life, Political Science, Psychology, Society | Tagged Bias, Careful thinking, Clickbait, Confirmation Bias, Covington, Evaluating credibility, Mass Hysteria, Outrage, Social Media, Stop and think | Leave a comment

Three Ways to Understand People

Posted on January 16, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

If you want to understand why people believe and act as they do, three ideas will get you a long way: People want the world to make sense They make sense of the world in various ways, based on different … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Relations, Life, Political Science, Psychology, Society | Tagged Cherished beliefs, Feeling important, Getting along with others, Human motivation, Respect for others, Respectful debate, When to argue | Leave a comment

Remain Calm, Even If All Isn’t Well

Posted on January 8, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

It’s easy to remain calm when everything is going well. But it’s more important to remain calm when everything isn’t going so well. One way I’m lucky is that I have friends and family members who disagree with me about … Continue reading →